“He’s basically making it a god against a devil kind of thing, but he doesn’t have to get in there and fight.

“He’s entitled to say what he wants to say, but the fighters aren’t speaking like that and it comes down to the two fighters.”

With tickets to his May 2 mega-fight with Pacquiao set to fetch jaw-dropping prices, Mayweather felt no need to add to the hype on Wednesday, avoiding controversy with the same ease with which he evades punches.

Undefeated Mayweather even mustered up some faint praise for Pacquiao and refused to respond to taunts made by the Filipino’s trainer Roach, while offering effusive thanks to the media as he bobbed and weaved his way through a 30-minute conference without landing or taking a single blow.

With the two boxers choosing their words carefully, the biggest controversy in the build-up to what is expected to be the biggest grossing prize fight of all-time has been tickets for the bout, which have yet to go on sale.

“I don’t worry about tickets, I worry about the guy in front of me,” said Mayweather. “Manny Pacquiao that’s my whole focus. Tickets is something I don’t deal with.”

About the same time Mayweather was sparring with the media reports circulated that a deal had been reached between the two fighters’ camps that would see tickets go on the market later on Wednesday.

The MGM Grand is expected to pack in close to 16 500 for the fight but only about 1 000 seats will go on sale to the public with the rest going to the fighters, the casino, sponsors and promoters.

Reports have prices ranging from $1 500 in the upper level to $7 500 ringside but are expected to command an eye-popping $100 000 or more on the secondary resale market, putting them out of reach of all but the rich and famous.

Mayweather also claimed that his game plan against Pacquiao is simple — to win.

Mayweather says he is keeping it straight forward as he finalises his preparations for the eagerly-anticipated clash on May 2 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Meanwhile, tickets for the richest fight in boxing history, can finally go on sale this week after the two sides reached a deal.

Promoter Arum told American sports broadcaster ESPN that a bitter dispute between Pacquiao’s camp, Mayweather Promotions and the MGM Grand Hotel venue had finally been settled.

“I want to apologise for this dragging out for the length of time it has,” Arum told ESPN. “At least we were able to sort it out.”

The dispute had been preventing the release of tickets for inside the Grand Garden arena and to watch the fight on closed-circuit television.

Last month, Leonard Ellerbe, chief executive of Mayweather Promotions, said tickets would be priced between $1 500 and $7 500. Very few tickets are expected to be available to the public with the majority of seats in the Grand Garden arena being reserved for organisers, sponsors and friends and family of the two camps.

Tickets are supposed to go to Pacquiao and Mayweather’s camps, HBO, MGM Grand and Show-time.

The ticket fiasco is just that latest issue of contention in the build-up to the fight which is expected to generate a record $400 million in revenue.

The sides also argued over drug testing, who would come out last to the ring for the fight, who would sponsor the fight and how much to charge for the pay-per-view which is expected to be offered around $100.

“If you have asked me what my game plan is, my game plan is to win,” said the unbeaten pound-for-pound king. “That is what it always has been. — Reuters- AFP.